There is something about a bolt action that encourages taking careful aim for each shot. For that very reason new shooters often get their best marksman ship practice with bolt action 22’s. For more experienced shooters this same practice can help avoid developing the flinch that can come with the big magnums. At the forefront of candidates for a classic rimfire bolt gun is the Savage Mark II.
History
The Mark II was originally not a Savage firearm at all. The design came from a small Canadian company called Lakehead Arms. Lakehead Arms set up shop in 1965 and began to make the Mark II series of rifles. Lakehead continued to grow until 1995 when Savage purchased the company and rebranded the Mark II as their own. Under Savage, the Mark II continues to be manufactured in Lakehead, Ontario in the same historic facility that Lakefield produced rimfires in for decades.
In 2018 Savage released their new B22 which is a bolt action rifle with a new stock design and a 10-shot rotary magazine. It will be interesting to see if Savage intends for the B22 to compete with or replace the older Mark II series of rifles. As of the time of writing Savage’s catalogue contains a number of variations of Mark II, perhaps indicating that they plan on continuing to offer the design.
Specifications
The Savage Mark II is a bolt action rimfire typically chambered in 22LR, although there was a varmint model chambered in 17 HMR. The standard sporter model weighs in at 5.5lbs and comes with basic iron sights. The rifles feed from 5 and 10 round detachable box magazines. The safety is on the right hand side of the receiver similar to a Remington 700.
The newer Mark II’s come with the Savage AccuTrigger standard. The Mark II’s are available in dozens of configurations with stainless options, target style stocks, and bull barrels. The rifle locks using the bolt handle against the receiver, a common system for the low pressures generated by 22LR.
Strengths
The greatest strength of the Savage is its accuracy. The Savage is significant improvement in accuracy over common semi-autos like the Marlin 795. Like most rimfires, our copy gave different results depending on ammunition. After some extensive accuracy testing we determined that the Mark II shoots around 1.25 MOA with ammunition it likes.
I’ve included the results of our testing below for those who are interested. I collected 9 5-shot groups at 50 yards and converted them to MOA. This was done to keep the benefits of sample size in shooting 10 round and larger groups while not letting a single flyer skew the data for an otherwise strong 4 round group.
Another reason to like the Savage is the trigger. At the sub-$300 dollar price range the AccuTrigger is probably the best trigger you will find in any rifle. The trigger is adjustable down to about 2.5lbs with a blade safety design similar to the one found in the Ruger American. The inclusion of the AccuTrigger in the Mark II series of rifles is an incredible value. to the shooter.
Finally, the aftermarket for the Mark II series of rifles is strong. There are canted rails available, chassis, many aftermarket stocks from Boyds, and the standard sling swivels make it easy to attach a bipod or a sling. The only aftermarket sector that is lacking is the trigger, likely because the Accutrigger is so good already.
Weaknesses
The downsides of the Mark II rifle relate to reliability. Running the Mark II in CPRS competition exposed some of its flaws. With most normal uses this would be a minor annoyance, but on the clock it was infuriating. In testing there were two components that caused stoppages.
The first common problem is from the magazines. The Mark II magazines are stamped sheet metal and are held together by small spot welds that are not particularly strong. As the round count increases the spot welds have a tendency to loosen. This allows the feed lips to separate and the rounds to spray out the top of the magazine. This happened to me while attempting a reload on the clock, spelling disaster for that stage.
The other issue is that the gun struggled to extract ammo manufactured with tighter tolerances. Shooting CCI and Eley ammunition, the extractor struggled to grip the case tightly enough to remove it from the chamber. The solution to this issue is to stack two of the extractor spring clips on top of each other to increase the tension on the extractor. Regardless, the gun should have come with a stronger spring right from the factory.
Finally, the plastic stock the cheaper models come with is a complaint. A Monte Carlo style stock is no more expensive to produce and gives a much better cheek weld. This simple adjustment could make the rifle easier to shoot well at no additional cost.
Competition
Competitive options at the price point are fairly limited because the Savage is so economical. One competitor is the Marlin XT-22. The Marlin XT-22 is a fine rifle that offers box-fed as well as tubular magazine variations. The magazines are better for the Marlin, however most find the Savage has slightly better accuracy.
Unfortunately, Remington owned Marlin when they went out of business. However, Ruger purchased the Marlin portion of the company. Hopefully Ruger will continue producing the XT-22 under the Marlin name.
Another competitive option is Savage’s own B22. Once again, it has improved magazine and stock options. However, it is rumored that the B22 is slightly less accurate than the traditional Mark II. Which rifle is right for you will depend on whether that extra accuracy is worth the hassle.
Closing Thoughts
In conclusion, the Savage Mark II is an affordable rimfire bolt action that is an excellent practice rifle for children and adults alike. It would be appropriate as a small game hunting rifle or for recreational target shooting. Competition is probably too rigorous for the aging design. If you want a competition rifle there are options with more robust magazine systems that are more appropriate.
The opportunity to buy and shoot Canadian made firearms is rare. Additionally, shooting older designs has a charm all of its own. Hunting for a bolt action rimfire that does what it should and doesn’t break the bank? There’s nothing wrong with a Savage Mark II.